Float



FLOAT Filed Dec. 11. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. MONTFORD E. HINMAN ATTORNEY 1963 M E. HINMAN 3,105,980

FLOAT Filed Dec. 11, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG 3 MONTFORD E. HINMAN M 6! MM ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,105,980 FLOAT Montford E. Hinman, 417 N. Qiiver, Wichita, Kans. Filed Dec. 11, 1961, Ser. No. 158,352 8 Claims. (Cl. 9-9) This invention relates to float means and in a more particular aspect to float means for recovering sunken 0-bjec-ts by attaching thereto float means having a portion which will separate from the sunken object when submerged and rise to the surface.

Various types of float means are known to the prior art. These include various types of floats having a plug of bicarbonate of soda, gelatine, and the like to dissolve and release an indicator and permit same to rise to the surface to detect a sunken object. These prior art devices are somewhat unsatisfactory in operation, particularly insofar as they utilize deliquescent materials for the plug or release means since same will absorb moisture from the air and at times cause release of the float without direct exposure towater.

In accordance with the present invention, float means are provided for recovery of a sunken object or the like and a base portion of the float means is attachable to the object. Separable cap means are provided with the base and constructed to float in water. The base and cap means are connected by string or cord means so that the floating cap means will lead one directly to the sunken object. Anchor means position the cap means relative to the base and the anchor means includes a water soluble material to permit separation of the base and cap means when the float is submerged.

In a preferred specific embodiment of the float of the invention, a flat base is provided having lugs or the like therewith to mount the base onto an object such as an outboard motor. A cylindrical wall is secured to and ex tends from the base and has a number of ports therein which are filled with a water soluble material. A post is concentrically positioned within the wall and mounted on the base. A semi-spherical cap or head is mounted on the wall. The cap has a relatively large air space therein to cause the cap -to float when separated from the rest of the float. A spool is centrally mounted on the flat portion of the cap and projects into the wall. A washer or the like is mounted on the post and a spiral spring is received by the post and engages the base of the float and the washer to urge the washer and the cap away from the wall or base. A cord or the like is secured in its end portions to the spool and to the base and the intermediate portion of the cord is wound around the spool when mounted on the base and is unwound therefrom as the cap rises to the surface. A relatively short string is secured in its end portions to the washer and to the base and the string is covered over at least a portion of its length with a material which gives off heat or forms a chemical which will react with and destroy the string upon dissolving in water. With the float assembled and mounted on an outboard motor or the like which inad vertently becomes dropped in the water, the water soluble material in the ports of the wall dissolves and water is received within the wall and the material on the string dissolves, giving off heat and burning or eating away or through the string to thereby release the washer and permit the spring action of the spring to force the cap from its position on the wall. As the cap rises to the surface the string is unwound from the spool and the floating cap portion will guide one to the sunken object.

' Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide new float means.

Another object of the invention is to provide new float means particularly constructed for recovery of sunken ob jects.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new float means whereby at least a portion of the float means is released from the sunken object when contacted by water :as a result of an exothermic reaction.

A still further object of the invention is to provide new means to separate port-ions of a float and prevent inadvertent separation.

Various other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a preferred specific embodiment of the float of the invention mounted on an article.

FIG. 2. is an enlarged cross section view through the center of the float of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view partially in cross section showing the position of the various parts of the float means immediately after separation of same.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view showing the preferred embodiment of the float of the invention mounted on an outboard motor.

FIG. 5 is a view on a reduced scale showing the manner in which a sunken object is located as a result of the operation of the float of the invention;

The following is a discussion and description of a preferred specific embodiment of the float of the invention, such being made with reference to the drawings whereon the same reference numerals are used to indicate the same or similar parts :and/ or structure. It is to .be understood that such discussion and description'is not to unduly limit the scope of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, a preferred specific embodiment of the float of the invention is shown generally at lb and includes a flat and preferably circular base member 12 which has lugs 14 projecting therefrom. The lugs '14 are apertured as shown at 16 to receive suit able mounting bolts or the like '18 to mount the float on the desired article.

A cylindrical wall 2% is secured to and extends from the base 12 of the float and the wall 20 can be integrally formed with the base, if desired. A plurality of ports or holes 22, FIG. 3, are provided in the wall 29 and are preferably inclined so as to open at a higher point on the inner surface of wall 2i) than on the outer surface thereof so that rain water, moisture from condensation, etc. which might tend to collect or run down the sides of the wall 20 is not received by the ports or holes 22. The holes 22 are filled with a water soluble material 24, FIG. 2. The material 24 can be compressed, granulated or crystalline sugar, salt crystals, etc. which are readily dissolvable in water. The material 24 is preferably not a del-iquescent material so that it does. not pick up moisture from the air and tend to be dissolved thereby.

A post 26 is secured to and extends upwardly from the base 12 and can be integrally formed therewith, if desired. The post 26 is preferably concentrically'positioned within wall 20 when same is cylindrical.

A cap or head 28 is provided and such is preferably generally semi-spherical in shape as illustrated. The cap or head 28 is constructed to float or rise to the surface. This is preferably done by providing a relatively large and sealed air space or chamber 34 and the air space 30 is large enough to cause the head or cap 28 to float. The head or cap portion 28 can be made of various materials and the size of the air space 30 relative to the entire cap 23 will be variable depending on the material used. In some instances cap 23 can be made of cork or other material which will float without the need of chamber 30. The cap 23 can be of size to be snugly mounted on wall 20 or a suitable water soluble cement or sealant 29 can be used.

A spool or the like 32 is mounted on the cap 23 and when same is semi-spherical the spool is preferably mounted on the flat portion or surface 34 of the cap. The spool 32 is mounted on the upper end portion of post 26 when the cap or head 26 is positioned on the wall 20.

A washer or the like 3a is desirably provided and is received by and mounted on the post 26. A spiral spring 38 is positioned around the post 26 and engages the base 12 and the washer 36 and is normally compressed when the float is assembled so as to urge the washer 36 away from the base 12.

A cord or rope 40 is secured in its end portions to the spool 32 and to the lug or ear 41 on the base 12 with the intermediate portion of the cord being wrapped around the spool 32 in the usual and common manner.

A short string or relatively light cord 42, preferably of cotton or other suitable cellulosic material, is secured in its end portions to washer 36 and to a lug or the like 44 on base 12. The string 42 is covered with a material 46 which undergoes an exothermic reaction in the presence of Water. The material 46 can be of any suitable type. For example, the material 46 can conveniently be sodium metal, potassium metal, potassium oxide, calcium oxide, sodium oxide, and the like. The material is preferably one that is not deliquescent. The string 42 and the material 46- thereon serves to anchor or retain the spool 32 and cap 28 in position by restraining the spring 38 and preventing same from forcing the washer and cap outwardly.

In operation, the cap is assembled in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and is mounted on a suitable object, such as the outboard motor 50. The float it) can be secured to the top of the motor 50 as illustrated in FIG. 4 or same can be secured to other portions thereof, or it can be secured to other objects which might inadvertently be dropped into the water in use. When assembled and mounted the unit is ready for operation and should the motor 50 become dislodged and dropped into the water as illustrated in FIG. 5 then the material 24 in ports or holes 22 in the cylindrical wall 20 will dissolve as will the sealant material 2? holding cap 28 in position. Water is then received within cylindrical wall 20 through ports 22 and the material 46 will be immersed in water. When this occurs, the material undergoes an exothermic reaction and will give off a heat, burning through the string 42 to separate same into two pieces and thus releasing washer 36, or the chemical formed will react with the string 42 to destroy same. When this occurs, the spring 38 urges the washer 36 outwardly away from base 12 and such action forces spool 32 and cap 28 from the assembled position, such being illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings. As cap 28 separates from the base portion 12 and wall 20 the cord or rope 40 will unspool or unwind, one end being secured .to lug 41 and thus retained with the base portion of the float. The cap 23 will rise to the surface and will act as buoy or guide to lead searchers to the sunken object.

The float of the invention can be made relatively inexpensively and with a minimum of effort and can be of any suitable size, depending upon the size of the article on which it is to be mounted, the size of the cap necessary to be readily observed on the surface, etc. Also the float of the invention is not subject to premature separation as occurs with some prior art devices as a result of the releasing means absorbing moisture from the air and permitting the separation of the parts.

While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred specific embodiment thereof, it will be understood that this description is intended to illustrate and not to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the claims.

I claim:

1. A float for recovery of sunken objects comprising, in combination, a flat, circular base, lugs projecting from said base with apertures therethrough to receive mounting bolts, a cylindrical wall secured to and extending from said base, a plurality of ports in said wall, said ports being filled with a water soluble material, a post secured to said base and concentrically positioned within said wall, a semi-spherical cap positioned on said wall, said cap having a relatively large sealed air chamber therein, a spool centrally mounted on the flat portion of said cap and projecting into said wall and mounted on the upper end portion of said post, a washer mounted on said post, a spiral spring received by said post and engaging said base and said washer to urge said Washer and said cap away from said base, a cord secured in its end portions to said spool and to said base with the intermediate portion thereof being wrapped around said spool, and short cotton string secured in its end portions to said washer and said base, said string being covered over a portion of its length with a material which gives off heat upon dissolving in water, said float being constructed and adapted to be mounted on an object so that if same is inadvertently dropped in the water said Water soluble material in said ports will dissolve and water will be admitted within said wall, said material on said string dissolving to part said string and release said washer with said spring forcing said cap from its position on said wall and with said cord unwinding from said spool as said cap rises to the surface.

2. A float for the recovery of sunken objects or the like comprising, in combination, a base, means to mount said base on an object, a wall secured to said base and extending therefrom, a plurality of ports in said wall, said ports being filled with a water soluble material, a post secured to said base and positioned within said wall, a cap positioned on said wall, said cap having a sealed air chamber therein, a spool with said cap and positioned within said wall and receiving an end of said post, a washer on said post, spring means with said post engaging said base and said washer to urge said washer and said cap from said base, a cord connected in its end portions to said base and said spool and having the intermediate portion thereof wrapped around said spool, and a string connected to said was-her and said base, said string having thereon a material which gives off heat upon dissolving in water, said float being constructed and adapted so that when mounted on an object which is dropped into the water said material in said ports will dissolve and water will be received within said wall causing said material on said string to dissolve and part said string to release said washer and permit said spring to urge said cap from said wall.

3. A float for the recovery of sunken objects comprising, in combination, a base portion, a cap portion mounted on said base portion, said cap portion being constructed to separate from said base portion and rise to the surface when submerged, said base portion being mountable on an object and having means therewith to urge said cap portion from said base portion, anchor means with said cap portion and said base portion to secure same in assembled relation, said anchor means comprising a heat deformable connecting means securing said cap portion and said base portion in assembled relation, a water soluble material which undergoes an exothermic reaction upon contact with water operatively associated with said heat deformable connecting means to disconnect same, and cord means connecting said cap portion and base portion.

4. The float structure as set forth in claim 3 wherein said base portion includes an extending wall means that sealingly engages said cap portion forming a chamber therebetween for receiving said anchor means and said cord means, said wall means being provided with at least one sloping opening, and a plug means in said sloping opening made of a water soluble material.

5. The structure set forth in claim 3 wherein said water soluble material in said anchor means is sodium metal.

6. A float for the recovery of sunken objects comprisring, in combination, a base portion and a cap portion, cord means connecting said base portion and said cap portion, said cap portion constructed to float in Water, anchor means securing said cap portion to said base portion, and means to urge said cap portion from said base portion, said anchor means comprising a heat deformable string means tensionallly securing said cap portion and said base portion in assembled relation, a water soluble material which undergoes an exothermic reaction upon contact with Water operatively associated with and in close proximity to said heat deformable string means to sever same so that when said float is mounted on an object which is placed in water said water soluble material with said anchor means will sever said heat deformable string means allowing said cap portion to separate from said base portion and rise to the surface of the water.

7. Float means comprising, in combination, a base, cap means with said base, said cap means being constructed to float in Water, cord means connecting said base and said cap means, anchor means positioning said cap means relative to said base, said anchor means comprising an elongated member of heat deformable material normally in tension and maintaining said cap means and said base in assembled relation, and a Water soluble material which undergoes an exothermic reaction upon contact with water operatively associated with and in close proximity to said heat deformable material to sever same to permit separation of said cap means from said base With said cap means rising to the surface and said cord means connecting same to said base.

8. A float for the recovery of sunken objects comprising, a base portion, a floatable cap portion, cord means connecting said base portion and said cap portion, anchor means comprising a heat deformable connecting means securing said cap portion and said base portion inassernbled relation, a water soluble material which undergoes an exothermic reaction upon contact with Water operatively associated with said heat deformable connecting means to sever same, said matenia'l selected from the group consisting of sodium metal, potassium metal, potassium oxide, calcium oxide, and sodium oxide.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,588,637 Krantz Mar. 1*1, 1952 

1. A FLOAT FOR RECOVERY OF SUNKEN OBJECTS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A FLAT, CIRCULAR BASE, LUGS PROJECTING FROM SAID BASE WITH APERTURES THERETHROUGH TO RECEIVE MOUNTING BOLTS, A CYLINDRICAL WALL SECURED TO AND EXTENDING FROM SAID BASE, A PLURALITY OF PORTS IN SAID WALL, SAID PORTS BEING FILLED WITH A WATER SOLUBLE MATERIAL, A POST SECURED TO SAID BASE AND CONCENTRICALLY POSITIONED WITHIN SAID WALL, A SEMI-SPHERICAL CAP POSITIONED ON SAID WALL, SAID CAP HAVING A RELATIVELY LARGE SEALED AIR CHAMBER THEREIN, A SPOOL CENTRALLY MOUNTED ON THE FLAT PORTION OF SAID CAP AND PROJECTING INTO SAID WALL AND MOUNTED ON THE UPPER END PORTION OF SAID POST, A WASHER MOUNTED ON SAID POST, A SPIRAL SPRING RECEIVED BY SAID POST AND ENGAGING SAID BASE AND SAID WASHER TO URGE SAID WASHER AND SAID CAP AWAY FROM SAID BASE, A CORD SECURED IN ITS END PORTIONS TO SAID SPOOL AND TO SAID BASE WITH THE INTERMEDIATE PORTION THEREOF BEING WRAPPED AROUND SAID SPOOL, AND SHORT COTTON STRING SECURED IN ITS END PORTIONS TO SAID WASHER AND SAID BASE, SAID STRING BEING COVERED OVER A PORTION OF ITS LENGTH WITH A MATERIAL WHICH GIVES OFF HEAT UPON DISSOLVING IN WATER, SAID FLOAT BEING CONSTRUCTED AND ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON AN OBJECT SO THAT IF SAME IS INADVERTENTLY DROPPED IN THE WATER SAID WATER SOLUBLE MATERIAL IN SAID PORTS WILL DISSOLVE AND WATER WILL BE ADMITTED WITHIN SAID WALL, SAID MATERIAL ON SAID STRING DISSOLVING TO PART SAID STRING AND RELEASE SAID WASHER WITH SAID SPRING FORCING SAID CAP FROM ITS POSITION ON SAID WALL AND WITH SAID CORD UNWINDING FROM SAID SPOOL AS SAID CAP RISES TO THE SURFACE. 